Something of an Update

Still here, alive. Haven't drowned in the rain yet. I have to admit, I didn't think the weather would get to me, but I think the gray may have finally won, pushing me over the edge to "grumpy." We'll see.

I'm still creating and selling pictures. Things are picking up a little bit as I expand my little portfolio.

I've finally, finally finished my PhD application. I put off the dreaded personal statement to the end. But it's as done as it's going to be, and it goes in the mail tomorrow. I think it will probably be months until I hear anything. Basically this state of limbo continues into the foreseeable future.

I've Lost My Amateur Status...

I made my first sale today!

Gross

It was horrible.

Oh, the test was fine - It was the insanely gross noises coming from a fellow test-taker. I physically gagged twice and mentally gagged one hundred and six times. I can't even adequately describe the noises to you. The closest I can manage is: "phlegm-filled choking moan." Ugh, it makes me sick even now.

Still, I managed to exceed my personal goal by 70 points and the program's "guideline score" by 270. So, that's nice.

Living the Dream

Recently, during a "What the hell? I'll give it a shot." moment I submitted a portfolio of photographs to a site that sells image use to designers for websites, magazines, etc. and pays the photographer on a per download basis.

This morning I got an email - I was accepted! Shock is a word I'd use to describe my reaction. I am so psyched about this. Maybe "Pretentious Black&White Photographer" is destined for the old resume after all...

In other, not so happy-exciting news, I take the GRE tomorrow. There it will be decided whether I know enough big words and/or can calculate the area of things quickly enough to continue my education. Stay tuned for the dramatic conclusion.

Dagny Got Me

Four Jobs I Have Had:

• "Environmental Coordinator"
• "Chem Lab Assistant"
• "Small Business Telephony Sales Consultant"
• "Horseback Riding Instructor"

Four Movies I Could (and do!) Watch Over and Over:

• The Parent Trap
• The original, not that remake thing
• Chocolat
• Harry Potter
• Mostly the first one, but any will do
• Mona Lisa Smile

Four Places I Have Lived:

• Denver, CO
• Louisville, CO
• Oracle, AZ
• Lake Oswego, OR

Four TV Shows I Like To Watch:

• Curb Your Enthusiasm
• 24
• Battlestar Galactica
• Gilmore Girls

Four Places I Have Been To On Vacation:

• San Francisco, CA
• Santa Fe, NM
• Moab, UT
• Anaheim, CA

Four Websites I Visit Daily:

• Digg.com
• Flickr.com
• Del.icio.us/CharismaticMegafauna
• RememberTheMilk.com
  
• (although I like to think of it as "Remember the Soymilk")

Four of my Favorite Foods:

• Fresh olives stuffed with garlic
• Chinese eggplant
• Portobello Mushrooms
• Tofu

Four Places I Would Rather Be:

• Antarctica
• Santa Fe, NM
• Japan
• Alaska

Four Albums I Can't Live Without:

• Harry Potter Soundtrack
• Garden State Soundtrack
• Joni Mitchell "Hits"
• Sting "Fields of Gold"

Four People I'm Tagging:

• Sui Generis
• Shelley
• Stag
• And no, I don't care that she may not even have a blog anymore. You tag people you like, and I like Stag. So there.
  
• Janine
  

Two Roads Diverged In A Wood

Like my friend Sui Generis I'm at a sort of "big decision-y" kind of place regarding the rest of life, and what to do with it.


Unlike SG who is contemplating re-applying to law school, I am feeling the need to get to the polar opposite of it. For example, I'm considering becoming a pretentious black&white photographer. Or a vegan chef.


But because I am just a sucker for education, I probably will end up back in another degree program. Hopefully the one I'm currently applying for. However - I have this fear that I will end up hating it as much as I hated law school.

I've really enjoyed this time of living in a world that doesn't constantly evaluate me. I'm reluctant to leave it.

International Year Of...

2006 is the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. From the United Nation's Convention to Combat Desertification:

While fully addressing the growing threat that desertification represents for mankind, the year also seeks to celebrate the unique ecosystem and cultural diversity of deserts worldwide, therefore establishing a clear difference between the need to protect deserts as unique natural habitat and the fight against desertification as a global sustainable development challenge.

Home From The Holidays

Yes, we did get caught in all of that rain on the way home from California. It was a long, wet drive back to good old Oregon - I believe 17 hours door to door was the final drive time. Happily we're home now, with lots of big plans for 2006! One of these is getting out of our conventional car and into a hybrid, so the next time an eight hour trip turns into one that lasts for almost an entire day our impact will be a little bit less substantial.

It surprises me how negative some people are about hybrid cars. Two responses we got from family over the holidays were: "You'll end up spending more in the long run!" and "Good luck getting one. You'll be on a waiting list for years." I'm guessing both of these prophecies of hybrid doom turn out to be false. I'll keep you updated. For now I'm starting my research at HybridCars.com - a good choice, I think, considering their slogan is: "Great starting point for hybrid vehicle research"

Happy New Year!